


Honey & Lemon

by DylanOhbrien



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Crushes, It's not 2007 anymore eleanor move on, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Nicknames, single use of a Pun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-04
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-07-29 06:45:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7674133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DylanOhbrien/pseuds/DylanOhbrien
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Keith has one rule: keep any interaction with a customer terse and professional. It's a rule he's strictly followed since he's started working at Shiro's shop.</p><p>Then Lance walks through the door and Keith thows professionalism right out the window, along with any semblance of dignity he had left.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Honey & Lemon

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this to take a break from another Klance fic I was writing to take a break from _another_ Klance fic I was writing.
> 
> Anyway, I'm a sucker for coffee shop AUs and misunderstandings. (Cue the OK emoji.)

Shiro never lets Keith live down the first day Lance had waltzed into the shop, and for good reason.

Keith likes to think himself to be the epitome of professionalism in the workplace. He's kind, but not overly so, in a way that allows customers to be comfortable with him, but never enough to try and broach the very thick line of friendship and unfamiliarity between two people. Curbing any random and unwarranted attempt is easy enough, especially because they usually come from giggling teenage girls trying to coax his phone number out of him. Which are vainful attempts, because Keith is very much gay, and very much not a teenager.

Yet, for all the aloof coolness Keith possessed, Shiro hadn't bothered with such nuances. He was far too friendly to these strangers that came in and out of the shop, in Keith's opinion. Made middle-aged mothers blush down to their sneakers, got young schoolgirls to giggle and whisper to each other from a booth, made older people chortle out laughter and snorts as they waited for their drink. Sure, he was probably what kept the regulars rolling back in with his good natured spirits - actually, no, it was the delicious coffee that pulled everyone in, but Shiro certainly helped _keep_ them coming back on a regular basis.

In any case, Keith refused to budge in his stance on how customers and servers should interact, no matter what Shiro said to try and sway him. He kept things respectfully terse, and customers eventually followed suit after catching on.

But he's never met anyone quite as stubborn as Lance McClain.

That there is the fundamental root of Keith Kogane’s problem.

Shiro and Keith like to take rotations when working, especially when the shop fills up. One will take the order, the other makes it and gives it to the customer. In their spare time they refill the syrup pumps, clean the counters, and go about making sure the workspace stays clean. They have a meticulous system that works beautifully and allows for the most efficiency between the two.

So when Lance walks into the shop for the first time, Shiro makes his way over to the register.

And Keith, he tries his damndest not to stare. Because Lance is a very nice looking person. The first thing that strikes Keith as he hovers by the coffee machine and tries to shrink into himself is how tan he is. His skin has a very warm olive complexion, and does wonders to bring out the blue flecks in his eyes. He's tall - taller than Keith, anyway - and lean and attractive and dripping in sweat. Which should be disgusting in its own right, but somehow isn't.

He's decked out in running gear, with a thin t-shirt hanging loosely around his shoulders, black shorts, and sneakers. There's a small backpack slung over his shoulders too. It explains his current state, sweat dripping from his temple down to his neck, and brown hair plastered against his forehead. Keith has never been jealous of a bead of sweat, but there's a first time for everything.

Shiro patiently waits for him to come up to the register while he squints at the menu above their heads for a minute. Eventually his face breaks out in a look of satisfaction and he comes forward, pulling his earbuds out and letting them dangle down his chest. Keith does not wonder what kind of music he listens to.

“Hello, what can I get for you today?” Shiro asks brightly, fingers hovering over the register, ready to punch in the order.

“Large coffee, extra cream, extra sugar, two pump of vanilla and hazelnut each,” comes the order. “Also a water bottle, please.”

Shiro smiles and nods, reaching for a large cup and the sharpie they have to write the customer's names. He uncaps the marker and looks up, hand poised to write down the name on the plastic cup. “And what is your name?”

“Oh, you're that kind of shop?” He asks excitedly, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “That's cool. I'm Lance.”

“Yes, we are that kind of shop,” Shiro responds scrawling the name quickly and handing the cup to Keith. He quickly repeats the order to Shiro to make sure he's got it right before going off to make the drink.

Shiro turns back to Lance and seems to strike up a conversation, one that Lance excitedly indulges the other man in immediately. Keith can't make out what they're saying from his distance, but he can see Lance falling for the good old fashioned Takashi Shirogane charm. Lance is very animated, all flailing hands and bright smiles and full body laughs, and Shiro smiles back at him. Lance is definitely the kind of customer Shiro likes: the type that is just as jovial and friendly and willing to make a new acquaintance.

When he finishes the coffee order and clips the lid into place, Keith makes his way to the front, leaning against the counter.

“Lance,” Keith calls out his name, and it feels like silk on his tongue. He tries to reign his feelings in, tries to collapse in on himself. An achingly familiar feeling settles into his chest, and stubbornly stays there no matter how much he tries to shoo it away. Attraction, he decides, is very dumb.

He and Shiro’s conversation breaks and Lance blinks those nice eyes of his, and he finally rests them on Keith. And then straight to the coffee in his hands.

“Oh, sweet, my coffee.” He takes his receipt from Shiro, as well as the bottled water, shoving them into his bag before making his way towards Keith.

He gingerly takes the drink from Keith's hands, fingers brushing lightly, and lifts the tab off the lid, inhaling the scent heavily. Lance kind of looks like he's having an experience, eyes closed and mouth parted, and Keith just stands there and tries not to fidget. He opens his eyes - they really are very nice - and pins Keith down with a stare. “That's some good stuff right there. You have a gift, my dude.”

This is the part where Keith would say, “Thank you. Enjoy your day.” and move on, switching rotation with Shiro. This is the part where Keith would sever that little tether of newborn friendship and get back to work. This is the part where Keith would brush the comment off and start to wipe down the counter so Lance would get the picture and move on with both his day and life.

“You haven't even tried it yet, though. How would you know if the coffee is even any good?”

This is the part where Keith throws professionalism out the window.

Lance grins at that, and Keith notices the freckles splashed against his cheeks and nose. “Don't have to. Smell plays a big part in taste, despite how weird that sounds. And this coffee smells straight up heavenly.”

“Ah, well. Thank you. I try,” Keith responds awkward, discretely balling up his hand into his apron from under the counter. This is another reason he keeps friendly customers at bay. Keith and social situations? They don't mix very well. Or at all, really.

“Not very good at small talk, huh?” Lance points out bluntly. Keith blinks rapidly and definitely does not flush in embarrassment. Nope. Not at all. “No problem, I won't be deterred by that. I've dealt with someone who is arguably the least social person in the world for years now, I'm all over this. Don't you worry.”

Oh.

Keith doesn't respond, doesn't really know how to. In response he just frowns in confusion, but Lance just grins at him and doesn't clarify any of what he just said. “You should smile more, by the way. You look really grumpy.”

“What? No I don't,” Keith replies hotly, scowling at him.

Lance, however, just seems to find amusement in that and let's out a puff of laughter. “Now you _really_ look grumpy. Not sure if you're doing that just to spite me.”

Keith narrows his eyes at the tan man and says the first thing that comes to mind. “Not everything revolves around you, you know.”

And oops, there goes any chance he ever had, right out the door because Keith has a very pathetic ability to filter what pops into his brain, and it's generally always insulting if he's not careful. Lance should be yelling for the manager at any moment, should leave the shop in a huff and never return. He should. He should, but he doesn't, and Keith doesn't know whether he should be pleased by the fact that Lance seems to live to contradict him at every little thing.

Lance, surprising the shorter boy completely, just snorts. “I beg to differ. I'd like to think that scientists are wrong, and the solar system isn't heliocentric. It's Lance-centric.”

Wow, he's full of himself. Keith is into it. It's terrible, really.

Lance holds the coffee with both hands and moves away from the counter. “Anyway, it's been nice meeting you, Mullet Man. I'll see you around. Bye, Shiro!”

_Mullet Man?_

Wait, Keith has bigger fish to fry, the shitty nickname can wait.

Because Shiro. _Shiro_. Oh, shit. Keith forgot all about Shiro. He quickly looks over at his co-worker and longtime friend, only to find the man with a very knowing smile plastered on his face. Well, there goes any hopes of keeping some sort of discretion about this whole interaction.

“Goodbye, Lance,” Shiro responds with a wave. “Hope to see you around again.”

“Oh, you will,” Lance assures him, and then he's out in a flourish.

There's a stagnant silence in the air for a minute after he's gone, and Keith is very thankful that the shop is currently in its lull, and there aren't any customers to overhear the embarrassing moment about to happen. The faux calm in the air is broken, and Keith looks at Shiro like a deer in headlights, and Shiro opens his mouth to speak, and Keith clenches his jaw in preparation for the worst.

“Anything you want to get off your chest, _Mullet_ _Man_?”

Keith turns on his heel and stalks off toward the back room where they keep spare cups and napkins and other sundries. “I'm gonna do an inventory check.”

Shiro's knowing chuckle follows him all the way to the back room, and Keith's ears burn.

* * *

 True to promise, Lance shows up three days later, far less sweaty and just as unbearably attractive.

Keith sees the top of his head bobbing from over the decorative frosted glass of the shop's windows, but doesn't recognize the dark crop of hair at first. It isn't until Lance is at the door, pushing the pane of glass open, that Keith panics. Shiro immediately zeroes in on Keith's trepidation as the short man rubs his palms against his apron and stares at the incoming figure with wide eyes.

Lance stands a little ways away from the counter and reads the signs above it - the universal sign that he's deciding what to order and need not be bothered by staff. He's wearing a plain pair of dark wash jeans and a white t-shirt. There's also an olive green jacket tucked under his arm, hanging loosely at his side, a testament to the slight chill of September days.

“Want me to take his order?” Shiro asks coyly.

He's been very diligent about not saying anything about Keith and Lance's initial encounter, or that idiotic nickname Lance had pinned on him, but Keith just knows the man has been keeping it bottled up, waiting for the opportune moment. That moment seems to be Lance coming back into their shop. That moment seems to be now.

Keith purses his lips. “No. No, I've got this.”

“Alright, Mullet Man,” Shiro concedes and moves towards the back.

Lance steps forward, and Keith squares his shoulders from his spot at the register. “May I take your order?”

Lance doesn't answer at first, eyes darting around the space behind the counter in confusion. “Where'd Shiro go? I thought I saw him right now.”

Ah. He's here for Shiro. Right, of course. Who wouldn't be? Shiro is great, he's fantastic. Even Keith had once had a small thing for him until Shiro gently rebutted his superficial affection by saying he was straight and really appreciated their friendship. Keith had picked up his damaged pride of the floor and gotten over it, and thus their lengthy friendship began.

Keith really doesn't want to be the one to crush Lance's dreams - but at the same time he sort of does.

He doesn't though. No, he'll let Shiro do the honors. After all, he's the one who caused it in the first place. “You did see him. He's right over-”

Shiro, it seems, has decided to play the disappearing act, because he is literally nowhere to be seen. Keith definitely does not panic and look towards the back room only to find the door slightly ajar which doesn't make any sense because they always close it and -

_That little shit._

Keith turns back around and taps his finger against the counter, lips curling down in disdain. “I guess he's in the back. I can take your order in the meanwhile.”

And make it, he thinks silently to himself, because Shiro has made himself scarce despite the fact that he knows they've got a system in place. He _knows._

Lance seems to get over it fairly quickly however, and instead trains his bright gaze on Keith. “Sure,” he says with a grin that leaves Keith feeling winded. “I'll have a large coffee. Two pumps hazelnut, one pump vanilla. Oh, and two chocolate eclairs, please. Gotta love those things.”

He punches in the order, and Lance hands over a few bills to pay for the drink. After Lance pockets his change and receipt, Keith reaches over for the plastic cup and sharpie.

“Name?”

“You don't remember it?” Lance asks with a pout, crossing his arms over his chest, and oh no, they're really nice arms. “Even after our bonding moment? Unbelievable.”

“There was no bonding moment,” Keith deadpans. “You're delusional. Now are you going to give me your name so I don't have to write nuisance on your cup?”

Lance seems amused by the whole thing. Keith, arguably less so. It's just, he seems to be unable to keep his mouth shut, and for some fucking reason, everything out of his mouth was an insult towards Lance. He can't wait for Shiro to tell him how much he sucks at flirting. Not that he is. Flirting, that is. Because if he was he could definitely do something better than calling Lance a nuisance.

“So mean,” Lance says dramatically, hand resting over his heart. “Fine, it's Lance. But while we're on the subject of names, I never did get yours.”

Nice thing about independently owned businesses? Pointless things like name tags and terribly tacky uniforms can be debated with the owner if they're comfortable enough with the person. Shiro is admittedly, a very lax and accommodating owner. By the third time a person had left their number for Keith by name, Shiro had relented. Definitely comes in handy.

“Interesting,” Keith hums, moving over to the coffee maker. He doesn't miss the way Lance side steps halfway across the length of the shop to stay within earshot of Keith.

“I just find it a little unfair that I know Shiro's name, and you know Shiro's name, and Shiro knows your name _and_ my name, but I don't know yours,” Lance explains like it's the most obvious thing in the world. “It's an injustice to this cool little trifecta that we've got going on.”

“There is no trifecta,” Keith says with a raised brow. He pumps some of the hazelnut syrup into Lance's drink.

“I'm pretty sure there is, Mullet Man,” Lance says when Keith clips the lid into place and slides the drink over to Lance.

“Don't call me that,” Keith snaps, and dammit Lance is so cute but he's such an asshole. He just doesn't know when to quit, it's unbelievable.

“I might use your real name if you tell me it,” Lance purrs, like Keith's irritation just gives him even more of an incentive.

Keith decides not to deign him with a response, just reaches over to grab a napkin and pull open the display case full of sweets. He definitely isn't careful to pick the nicest looking eclairs for Lance.

“Two chocolate eclairs,” Keith says, placing the pastries on a plate and sliding it next to the coffee. “I'm assuming you're going to hang around for a while.”

“Correct assumption,” Lance chirps, taking the plate and cup off the counter and holding them up against his chest. “I've got plans with a lovely little lady today, don't wait up.”

Finishing it off with an over exaggerated wink, Lance shoots off to sit comfortably in a booth, fingers immediately digging into the eclair and ripping off one piece. He pops the piece into his mouth and pulls out his phone from his pocket.

Keith finally gets a moment to himself and he grudgingly starts to wipe down the counter, thinking to himself all the while about what Lance had said. Lovely little lady? Does that mean Lance _isn't_ into Shiro? Which is great, one problem solved. But it does pose a new problem: Lance is most likely straight. Lance is straight and apparently about to meet up with a girl for a date.

Which sucks for Keith because-

Wait. _Wait._  Nope, there are no problems that need solving or situations that suck because Keith is definitely not thinking about pursuing Lance at all. Lance is annoying and irritating and basically a stranger. And a customer, that's important. Lance is a customer and Keith definitely does not want to date or kiss him.

(Except he does.)

Sparing a glance to the door to make sure no new customer is coming in, Keith makes his way over to the back room where he knows Shiro is hiding, undoubtedly having listened in to the entire thing. He shoves the door open, and is silently pleased to hear it make contact with Shiro’s cheek with a loud thud. The older man let's out a grunt of pain and appears from the other side of the door, holding his cheek and scowling at Keith.

“This is definitely going to bruise.”

“Serves you right for leaving me out there with the one person who lives to annoy the hell out of me,” Keith replies without remorse.

“I just thought you'd want some alone time with him,” Shiro mumbles the rubbing his red cheek.

“Why would you think that?” Keith asks hotly, knowing Shiro is done playing naive about his newfound crush.

Shiro smiles knowingly, and yup, Keith knows they'll be having a conversation at some point. He lets out a groan and lets his shoulders slump forward. There's a pressure on his back and he turns to see Shiro using his free hand to clap him softly.

He rubs his eyes with his fingertips. “It's a moot point, anyway. He's straight.”

Shiro frowns. “Are you sure?”

“He just told me he's expecting a girl to show up right now. For a date. So I'm pretty sure,” Keith says, and oh no, he actually sounds disappointed. It's a little pathetic. Really, he shouldn't be upset by someone he's known for half an hour tops being taken by someone else.

Shiro opens his mouth - condolences on the tip of his tongue, Keith is sure - but before he can get a word out, Lance’s voice rings through the room, breaking their conversation.

“Shiro, Mullet Man, you've got a beautiful customer who needs your assistance,” Lance sings from the front of the shop.

Keith and Shiro share a look before making their way to the front just in time to see arguably the prettiest woman Keith has ever seen hit Lance’s shoulder playfully.

“Lance you can't say things like that,” the woman says with a soft laugh. “It's not nice to use such a crude nickname.”

Lance pouts and dramatically leans over to rest his head on her shoulder. She's tall. Really tall, with striking silver hair pulled up into a ponytail, smooth dark skin, and bright eyes that glow as she laughs at Lance's antics. If this is the girl Keith is losing out to, he can see why Lance is so enamoured with her.

“It's not my fault if he hasn't shared his name with me,” Lance argues. “I need something to call him instead of ‘you there’.”

Lance looks up at Shiro and Keith as they come out of the back and make their way towards the counter. “There you two are. I want to introduce you to the light of my life, Allura. She sure is _alluring,_  don't you think?”

Allura rolls her eyes. “Lance, what have I told you about making that joke?”

“That only Coran can just baurely pull it off, and I'm a disgrace to the entirety of pun humor when I even try?” Lance grins unabashedly at her.

Allura pats his cheek. “Yes, that's correct. Glad you _have_ actually been listening to me.”

Keith spares a glance at Shiro and oh boy, that is not good. He's staring at Allura like she hung the damn moon, and Keith holds in a wince because this isn't going to end well for any of them. Keith steps up to the register to try and save Shiro any heartache.

“Can I take your order?” Keith asks, and Allura turns to look at him. She's unfairly pretty.

“Oh, um, one large sweet tea,” Allura says, reaching into her purse for money. Lance stands there, shoving his hands into his pocket and waiting, and Keith thinks he's a terrible boyfriend for letting her pay for her own drink, even if it is just a few bucks. “Please keep the change.”

He writes down her name on the cup and hands it off to Shiro, who has a red face that definitely isn't because of it meeting the door a few minutes ago. There's a slightly dazed look on his features as he goes off to make the drink while Keith takes the money and puts it in the register.

After Shiro makes her drink and the two go back over to the booth Lance had sat in earlier, Keith pinches Shiro's ear. He ignores the yelp of surprise and tugs violently.

“Don't even think about it,” he warns in a harsh whisper, pulling his hand away. “She's on a date.”

Shiro scowls, holding his ear. “I'm _not_. That's a little hypocritical though, isn't it? What about you and Lance?”

“There is no me and Lance,” Keith answers quickly. “I'm moving on from this short lived crush right now, because now I know he has a _girlfriend_.”

Allura, as if reminding them both of that fact, giggles at something Lance says. They glance to see Lance wiggle his eyebrows at Allura while she laughs into her hand, pink flushing on her cheeks. Keith and Shiro sigh.

“We are pretty pathetic,” Shiro says solemnly, rubbing his ear.

Keith silently agrees.

* * *

Lance becomes a regular to their shop after that, mostly coming back in alone. From time to time he brings Allura or someone he calls Hunk with him, and that's when Keith sees him the most animated. There are hands flailing and uncontrollable jumping and full body laughs.

It's times like those when Keith is brutally reminded that he's a liar, because despite what he said, those feelings of attraction definitely haven't faded at all. No, they've only grown, along with the slow appreciation of his boisterous personality. It's _pathetic_. Extremely pathetic.

(Though he can definitely tell he isn't alone. Shiro's infatuation with Allura is also steadily increasing the more he sees of her.

He gets just as excited when Lance comes in, but it deflates if he isn't with Allura. Shiro certainly likes Lance, but it's plainly obvious that he cares far more for Allura’s company.)

They're a few weeks into their weird banter where Lance tries to coax his name out of him and Keith resists if only to draw out their interactions when Lance walks in with Allura, Hunk, and two other people Keith has never seen before.

“Shiro, Double M, what's up?” Lance asks loudly as he walks in. A handful of customers glance up and roll their eyes before tuning him out.

Keith furrows his brow at the mention of the nickname Lance has begun using instead of Mullet Man. He likes the fact that Lance put in some thought in giving him a unique nickname, sure, but he does one day want to hear Lance use his actual name. But first he has to tell Lance what it is, and he worries that might put a halt on their daily interactions.

“Hello, Lance, Allura, Hunk. Good to see you all.” Shiro is the one to reply. He looks at the two newcomers curiously. “Who might these two people be?”

“This mustachioed man here is Coran,” Lance says, pointing at the lanky man, who waves with a bright smile. He then points to the shorter person who currently has their nose buried in their phone. “And this rude little shit is our dearly beloved Pidge.”

Pidge flips Lance off without even looking up from their phone. When they finally look up from their screen, they squint at Shiro and Keith without saying a single word. Keith gets the feeling like he's being assessed for some reason. Pidge, after a moment of staring, gets a pleased look on their face, and then wordlessly looks back down at their phone. It feels like all of Keith's secrets have been exposed.

Lance, Hunk, and Allura all order their regulars, while Coran orders a vegetable smoothie that Shiro has been considering taking off the menu for a while now, and Pidge orders a black coffee. Keith decides Pidge isn't someone to mess with.

Lance seems distracted, Keith notices, while they're ordering. Pidge nudges him with their shoulder whenever he starts to frown. Allura gently pats his back a few times when he starts to stare at his shoes. Keith doesn't even miss the encouraging smiles Hunk keeps shooting Lance every few minutes.

After getting their drinks - where Keith definitely notices how reserved Lance really seems when he doesn't goad Keith for his name at all - they all squeeze into a single booth near the other end of the shop. They're rowdy and loud and so friendly, and it's the type of group of friends Keith has always wanted to have. Shiro is great and all, but they're both on the calmer, more serious side of the personality spectrum. However, the fact that the usually more extroverted person among their group - as far as Keith knows, but he has his suspicions that he's right - is strangely quiet doesn't go unnoticed by Keith.

After almost half an hour of shooting curious glances over at Lance (which all, for some damn reason Keith can't figure out, go noticed by Pidge, who seems very smug about it) and having silent worries playing in the back of in his mind about what's happening, Lance finally gets up from the booth and starts to shuffle towards the counter. Which wouldn't be strange at all, except for the fact that Keith can see everyone at the booth trying to discreetly stare. Except Pidge, who unapologetically stares with those knowing eyes of theirs.

Lance stops stiffly in front of Keith, and then just stares at the counter for a good minute, not saying a word. Shiro stares at the two before quietly walking out of earshot.

Something is definitely up and-

Oh. Oh _no_. Lance has figured it out. He's figured out Keith has a ridiculous crush on him and now he's here to turn him down. He probably brought all his friends and _girlfriend_ to watch and laugh at how pathetic he is. He's seriously glad Shiro decided to leave because there is no way Keith is ever going to live this down. Nope. Never in a million years.

“So, uh, I've been meaning to tell you this for a while,” Lance starts tracing shapes against the counter with his finger, and that only makes the knot in Keith's stomach turn tighter. He's known for a _while_.

“I know it's probably embarrassing for you,” Keith says suddenly, wringing his hands together. Great, he's getting rejected before he even gets a chance to confess. Not that he was ever going to. But it's fucking humiliating and Keith just wants it to be over.

“Beyond belief,” Lance admits, blush covering his cheeks, ouch, that's brutal. Keith tries to count his freckles and memorize them, thinking it'll probably be he last time he sees them. “But it's something I've gotta get out. So, uh, just listen. Please?”

It might be something Lance has to get out, but it's definitely something Keith doesn't want to hear. But he knows he has to, so he can finally put on his big boy pants and stop pining like a lovesick fool. Wordless and stoic, all Keith manages is an encouraging nod of his head.

Lance sucks in a breath.

“I like you.”

Keith sucks in a breath.

And then stars explode in his head. Before he can even really process what Lance just said however, Lance is continuing in an awkward ramble that makes it seem like he's mostly talking to himself instead of Keith.

“I really like you, like a lot, and I've been meaning to ask you out for a while now, but, uh, I was kind of psyching myself up about the whole thing, to be honest. I kept bringing Allura and Hunk with me because they're the most encouraging and compassionate of all my friends. Lord knows it ain't Pidge. I kept telling them, and myself really, that I'd bite the bullet and ask you on a date after you told me your name, ‘cause I thought it maybe proved you trusted me a little and didn't find me completely annoying, but you still haven't, and Pidge is such a conniving little bastard, they finally convinced me to take them to this shop and made me come over here to spill my guts, and yeah. That's it.”

Oh wow, that's a lot of information to try and make sense of. After Lance stops talking, Keith blinks rapidly, trying to take in everything he just heard. The first thing that sticks is the intruding thought that Pidge is probably the kind of person who could convince even the smartest of people to think it was a good idea to go skinny dipping in the middle of winter. The second thing that sticks is the fact that Lance just called Allura a friend. Not girlfriend. A friend. The last thing that sticks is the fact that Lance just admitted to liking him. Romantically.

“Keith.” It's the only thing Keith can say after a minute of silence.

Lance stares at him, nose wrinkling in confusion. “What?”

“My name,” Keith continues. “It’s Keith.”

Lance stares, eyes wide. “Wait. Does that mean you-” he starts, but Keith stops him before he can finish the question.

“I do,” Keith interrupts. “Like you, I mean. I do.”

“Oh. Cool.” Lance looks as dazed as Keith feels.

They stare at each other without saying a word, and Keith can feel a lightness in his chest. Lance likes him. Lance _likes_ him.

But, after a few moments of the two staring at each other, smiling like a bunch of idiots, Keith realizes something. It's all well and good, but herein lies the problem: Lance just admitted pretty much everything about his feelings for Keith and why he was holding back, and Keith finds the scale unbalanced because he's holding a few embarrassing secrets of his own. He'd thought Lance was straight, and very much in a relationship.

With a bite of his lip, Keith admits. “I, uh, I thought you were dating Allura. That's why I never said anything. Didn't want to put you in an awkward situation.”

Lance blinks, and then cracks a smile. “You thought I what? No, Allura is just a good friend. I mean, I did try to hit on her when I first met her a few years ago. She shot me down without a hint of remorse, it was actually really hilarious. But between you and me,” Lance leans in and cups a hand around his mouth and gets close to Keith's ear. Keith leans in mostly to feel Lance's heat in the air and his breath across his cheek, so sue him. “she's got a huge crush on Shiro. I'm pretty sure that's the only reason she agreed to come here with me so many times.”

“Shiro likes her too,” Keith says with a smile of his own, turning to smile at Lance. He silently reminds himself to tell Shiro the great news that the object of his affections is not dating the object of Keith's affections. When there's no prying ears, anyway.

“Seems we got with the program a lot quicker than them, huh?” Lance asks with a chuckle. He stops after a minute, and stares at Keith with a shy smile and beautiful bright eyes. “ _Keith_.”

“Yes, Lance?”

Lance's smile grows unabashed, and he leans back to his full height, eyes shining. “Nothing, just practicing.”

Keith raises a brow in confusion. “For what?”

Lance's suggestive eyebrow wiggle is the only response he gets, and Keith throws the rag they use to wipe the counters at his face after he figures out what Lance means. He ignores the heat that burns his ears and yells at Lance to get out.

Lance's laugh rings likes bells in Keith's ears.

* * *

Later, without five sets of eyes watching them (Shiro eventually admits to hiding behind the coffee machine and spying on them, but he swears up and down that he couldn't hear a single word of their conversation), Lance kisses Keith after work and officially asks him out on a date.

Keith then remembers his old motto of keeping his distance from patrons, annoyingly cute or otherwise, and smiles softly before agreeing, professionalism be damned. Lance kisses him again, and heat blooms in Keith's chest.

* * *

(It takes another month before Allura gets tired of waiting for Shiro to finally do something about their obvious interest in each other. So, when Shiro asks her for her order one day, all she says is “you.” and then grabs him by his apron and hauls him in for a kiss.)

**Author's Note:**

> You get the title? You know, because Keith is sweet on Lance but Lance also makes him feel like he's eating something sour. I know, I put very little thought into it.


End file.
